Centrifugal drier



Oct. 20, 1936. I wlLDERMAN 2,057,755"

CENTR IFUGAL DRIER Filed Sept. 18, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ELIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELTEEM Inventor lurrrce A tlbr ne y Oct. 20, 1936.

c. M. WILDERMAN 2,057,755

CENTRIFUGAL DRIER Filed Sept. 18, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet 3 flarenc'elllll'vilfimnan Inventor Patented Oct. 20, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My present invention relates to an improved centrifugal drier which, while adapted for drying various commodities, is especially designed for the purpose of removing excess moisture from the 5 exterior surfaces of peas, beans, etc., as well as for drying various grains. The apparatus is successfully employed in the operation of separating excess moisture from the exterior surfaces of peas that have been washed, or subjected to a bath, and this drying of the peas is accomplished without loss in quantity when passing through the apparatus, and without marring the husks or wrappers of the peas, so that the commodity coming from the drier is in proper condition for packing and shipping without necessity for further treatment.

In carrying out my invention I employ a rotary drying drum having a vertical axis and a rotary conveyer or carrier within the rotary drum, and

these members are mounted in ,a stationary or fixed drum and operated to develop centrifugal action by means of which the excess moisture is separated from the exterior surfaces of the peas. The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts whereby an efii cient, compactly arranged, high speed apparatus is attained at comparatively low cost of manufacture, and operated at low cost of maintenance.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention which has proven highly successful in operation, but it will be understood that various changes may 'be made in this exemplifying structure, within the scope of my appended claims, without departing from the principles of my invention.

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a drier embodying my invention, broken away for convenience of illustration.

40 Figure 2 is a vertical central sectional view of the drier with some parts in elevation.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view at line 3-3 of Figure 2.

In carrying out my invention I utilize an upright, open top cylinder I of suitable size or dimensions, which is provided with a flanged bottom ring 2 that is rigidly fixed to the cylinder, and a water drain-pipe 3 is provided at the bottom of the cylinder for disposal of water that may accumulate in the interior of the cylinder, due to the centrifugal drying action of the device.

Within the bottom ring 2 of the cylinder is fixed a discharge bottom for the peas, which discharge bottom comprises an outer circular flange 3, a

concentric inner flange 5 forming a central opening in the bottom, and an annular bottom 6, which, as shown is located below the bottom ring 2 of the cylinder. This circular discharge bottom is provided with a pair of discharge chutes that are formed by the use of two horizontal, spirally 5 arranged, partitions l and 8 that terminate in tangentially arranged and oppositely openingdelivery or discharge spouts 9 and I0, which, as shown in Figure 3, project beyond the periphery of the stationary cylinder, for disposal of the 10 driedpeas.

The stationary cylinder and its discharge bottom are supported on a central base or stand H, and the latter may in turn be supported on any suitable object, as the base-board B. The stand 15 II is fashioned with a bearing block l2 which extends upwardly in the open center of the discharge bottom of the cylinder, and the bearing block is equipped with two vertically spaced, horizontally arranged bearings i3 and i l in which 20 the stepped end i5 of the upright shaft i6 is supported. At its upper end this shaft is journaled in a complementary bearing I1, the three bearings providing a substantial support for the rotary shaft which is operated at comparatively 5 high speed, in some instances at 500 revolutions per minute. On the vertical shaft is mounted a spirally arranged conveyer or carrier l8 for the peas with its flights so arranged that the peas will naturally flow from top to bottom of the 30 spiral-carrier and be discharged in the annular discharge bottom of the stationary cylinder, and from thence pass through the tangential discharge spouts.

The spiral carrier is closely surrounded by a 35 rotary drum 19, of cylindrical shape, and of less diameter than the stationary cylinder, in order to form a water space within the cylinder and about the rotary drum. This rotary drum is fashioned with perforations or openings 20, pref- 0 erably arranged in spaced vertically arranged rows or tiers that extend from substantially the top to the bottom, of the rotary drum and afford communication between the interior of the rotary drum and the annular water space in the cylinder surrounding the drum.

The bottom of the rotary drum is fashioned with a spider frame which comprises a central disk 2| loose on the shaft l6 and located below 0 the lower end of the spiral carrier. From this disk or hub-plate 2|, which is rigid with the rotor of the upper bearing I4, spokes 22 radiate across the open top of the discharge bottom of the cylinder, and at their outer ends the spokes are rig- 55 between the speeds may also vary, to accommo,

date the drier to varying conditions.

The upper end of the rotary drum is c 1osed ]o y a circular head 24, and a sprocket wheel 251, centrally located on the head, and 'fix'ed thereto, re-

volves around a bearing collar26.thatisrigidly attached to a circular or cylindrical hood il'l, the

lower, open end of which depends through-a-co m plementary central openingin the head 24 of the rotary drum; A diagonally arranged feed. hopper or chute 28 for 'the'p'eas is fashioned on the hood between the bearing l] and the head of the rotary drum, through which, the peas are 'fed, passing through the'hoodand dropping to the upper flight of the spiral rotary carrier.

The hood is rigidly supported atthe' end of a horizontal arm 29 which is rigid with the. upright post 30 of the appliance and thepost is provided with a suitable base to'insure its stability, An

electric, motor for driving the rotary 'parts, is designated as 3| and afiixed to the lateral arm 32 which projects from the post 30 in direction opposite to that of the arm 29, and the motor is provided with 'a pair of driving pulleys 33 and 34 for transmission of power to the rotary carrier and the rotary drum. A belt 35 on pulley 33fand a similar belt 36 on pulley 34 transmit power to the pulleys 31 and 38 respectively that are journaled on the upright shafts 39 and 40 which two axially alined shafts are journaled in the upright bearing sleeve 4| rigid with the post 30. t j

Shaft 39 transmits power through its sprocket wheel 42 and chain 43 to the sprocket wheel, M

" on the upper end of the carrier shaft IE to revolve the carrier; and shaft 4.0 transmits power through its sprocket wheel 45 and chain 46 to the sprocket 25 rigid with the head of the rotary drum for revolving the drum. Any other suitable arrangement for driving or revolving the carrier and the drum may be used, but in all cases provision is made for revolving the drum at a higher speed than the carrier, although the speeds of these parts may be changed under varying conditions.

As the'p'eas'are fed to therapidlyrevolving carrier a continuous stream of peas flows down the spiral carrier and the centrifugal-action of the carrier moves the peas to the outer edge of the spiral flights, some of the peas lightly contacting with the more rapidly revolving rotary drum, and this contact increases the speed of movement of the stream of peas down and around the spiral flights. The peas are thus separated and spread outwardly in the carrier and the moisture or drops of water on the exterior surfaces of the peas are thrown outwardly by centrifugal action to the edges of the spiral flights and pass throu'ghthe openings injthe cylindrical wall of the rotary drum to' the annularsp'ace within the cylinder.

Any excess moisture that may cling tothe peas after they have been washed is thus separated,

either by evaporation, or by centrifugal action,

""andin the latt'er case the moisture falls to the ;b0ttOm'Of. l;1l Cylilf1dl:and is drained off through the pipe ZBy-th' time the peas have traversed the length ofthe carrier, from top to bottom, all exterioror excess. moisture has been eliminated therefrom, and they 'a'i'then delivered by thecarrier into the annular bottom of the cylinder'onto the partitions l and 8, and icy-momentum, are passed out through the tangentially arranged'spouts 9 and ID for subsequent packing andshippingfl Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by .Letters Patent is:'

1. In a centrifugal separator, thecombination V with a'fixed outer 'cylinder having a bottom po'r-Y tion comprising pair of. upright spaced'in's'et; concentric flanges and bottom' forming an annui lar discharge chamber, a pairof arcuate spirally arranged partitions in said chamber, and tangentially arranged discharge spouts from said chamber, of a, perforated rotary drum mounted in'the cylinder and 'operatingmeans therefor, a rotary carrier surrounded by said drum, and means for revolving said carrier,

2. In a centrifugal separator, thecombination with a stationary cylinder having a bottom portion comprising a .pair of spaced, concentric flanges and bottom forming an'annular discharge chamber and said bottom having a central opening, apair of arcuate, spirally arranged partitions in said annular chamber, a base for the bottom and a bearing block rigid with the base and located in said opening, an upright shaft journaled in said bearing block and'a spirally arranged carrier fixed on the shaft, a perforated rotary drum located within the cylinder and having a bearing on the lower end of said shaft, a bearing for the upper end of the shaft, and a bearing for the upper end of the drum, means for revolving. 

